Only A Moment
by VictoriaPyrrhi
Summary: Various ficlets revolving primarily around Bones and Booth. Smut involved in certain chapters. No continuity, mostly AU. Inspired and mostly written for the completely awesome LJ Community: Bitesize Bones.
1. Chapter 1: Only A Moment

Only a moment

There's a buoyant feeling throughout the lab. Another case solved, another set of bones put to rest. It doesn't hurt that it was a Friday, and the weekend (Cam knocks on wood) looks to be clear sailing. She watches from the walkway as Hodgins and Angela meet, smiling as they talk.

"Now _there_ is an interesting couple." The voice comes from her left, and Cam turns to see Sweets echoing her position on the railing. He nods his head at Angela and Hodgins.

"They're not a couple anymore, Dr. Sweets." Her voice is mild, and Sweets quirks an eyebrow in her general direction.

"Really? 'Cause I see two people who are still very close to each other. And," he pauses, seeming a little puzzled. "Even closer than they were a few weeks ago. Hm. Look at their body language. See? Angela turns completely towards him, her eyes focus on his face...every movement Hodgins makes is directed towards her. They're insular. A couple, even though they aren't dating anymore." Cam nods. She can see it, and she suspects she knows what has Angela and Hodgins closer than they've been since the breakup.

"I suppose it's just a matter of time before I have to chase them out of any room with a security camera in it again." Sweets laughs quietly as the lab doors slide open, and Hodgins guides Angela out, arm lingering on the small of her back.

Almost immediately, Cam catches sight of a dark head of hair and a strong back. He's taken his jacket off and loosened his tie, and if she knows him, the tie will be completely gone by the time he hits the car.

"Now _there_ is an interesting subject." Cam rolls her eyes.

"I have never seen two people who are so completely clueless about one another." She feels Sweets lean a little closer.

"I don't know about that. Booth is a very perceptive man. Even from here you can see his eyes light up." Sure enough Dr. Brennan comes into view, and Booth's face cracks into a wide grin. "He knows what he wants; he's just waiting for her to realize it." Cam shook her head.

"They're both completely and utterly stubborn. I couldn't stand it if I were him."

"I don't know, Dr. Saroyan. He clearly feels that she's someone worth waiting for."

"I'm more of the—aggressive type, Dr. Sweets." She shoots him a wicked grin, teeth flashing, and he smiles back. She isn't sure if it's supposed to be winning, but it's certainly earnest.

"That's the closest thing to true love I think I've ever encountered. Isn't true love worth a little patience?"

"Isn't true love something worth fighting for?" she counters.

"Cam... may I call you Cam?" She glances down at her watch and back up.

"Only because as of five minutes ago, it's the weekend." They smile at each other, their eyes meet, and they're much closer than either of them remembers starting out.

She blinks. Sweets blinks, his smile fading a little, his face paling. Their heads snap back to the tableau of the lab.

"Did we just...have a moment?"

"Only a moment, Dr. Sweets." There might be a faint blush on his cheeks, and she might be feeling a little embarrassed. "I trust that it won't happen again?"

"God, I hope not." Together, but not too close together, they watch as Booth laughs and grabs Dr. Brennan by the hand, pulling her towards the doors, coaxing a smile and a laugh from her.


	2. Chapter 2: Home

Home

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><p>His headache has been growing since the school called him at one. By the time he shut the front door of his apartment and tossed his keys on the counter, it was a persistent throbbing against the back of his skull. He deeply regretted the hearing he'd been forced to attend. He regretted even more the fact that disobeying the judge's directive to stay wouldn't have managed to get him home any earlier.<p>

Booth's head pounded, and all he wanted to do was get some Advil and make sure that his son was all right. At that thought he paused. Despite his rather forceful entry, the apartment was still unnaturally quiet. He caught sight of a pot on the stove, though the burner is off. Cautiously, he moved around the apartment. Two bowls of half-finished soup are on the coffee table, and as he rounded the couch, he stopped dead in his tracks.

There's a tightness in his chest—an almost tangible pain as he stared at his son. The late afternoon sun streamed through the blinds, and rested on Parker and Bones where they lay, curled together on the couch. One of her arms was wrapped securely around the boy, and both their mouths were open. Bones, though he won't ever tell her, had a little bit of drool on her sleeve. They slept the sleep of the truly exhausted, and Booth couldn't bear to wake them.

His movements were more subdued as he got a glass of water and that Advil he'd been craving, and he sat down on the floor in front of them, back resting against the edge of the couch. It wasn't long before his head lolled back, and his snores joined the gentle breathing of his son and his Bones.


	3. Chapter 3: Are We In High School?

It didn't take a rocket scientist to determine just what was going on between Booth and Dr. Brennan—or rather, what _wasn't_ going on between them. And Cam, well—she was observant by nature. Seeley was falling for his partner…had probably already _fallen_ for her.

_There's a line my_ ass.

She could see it in a thousand tiny gestures, but it was the looks that were the most obvious. Booth's gaze would do things like linger tenderly on Brennan's head as she bent over her work. Cam spent a lot of her time rolling her eyes. Every so often, she would catch Dr. Brennan's eyes raking over Booth's body, and it took absolutely every ounce of willpower she possessed to not clear her throat and revel in the inevitable guilty looks that would follow.

What were they? In high school? _Jesus._

They were in the Founding Fathers after work when Cam slid into the seat next to Booth.

"Cam," he nodded sipping his beer.

"Seeley," she replied, one eyebrow quirked. He scowled.

"Did you want something, _Camille_?" She ignored his question in favor of signaling the bartender. Beside her, she could feel him stew.

"How long are you two going to keep this up, Booth?" She leveled a stare at him. "You're about a day away from turning into Sweets. And if I hear one more mooning sigh from either one of you, I am banning you from the lab. Got it?" He bristled at the threat and remembered that this was why they couldn't, _wouldn't_ cut it as a couple—amazing sex non-withstanding. He quashed the voice in the back of his head that so helpfully pointed out that Bones was just a stubborn and forceful, but he didn't mind when _she_ bossed him around.

"What do you want from me, Cam? There's a goddamned _line_. I should know; I fucking drew it." Cam rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"_Bull_shit there's a line. Maybe once, Seeley. But not now, not after all this time." He frowned and motioned for a refill. "Not," she added, "after what you've been through together."

"She's not ready." It's almost mumbled into his glass, sounding exactly like the excuse it was. Out of the corner of her eye, Cam caught a glimpse of Dr. Brennan's forms darting through the crowd, her eyes fixed on her partner. Cam stood and patted Booth on the shoulder.

"My advice to you?" She leaned down. "Sack. Up." With a final, forceful pat, Cam took her drink. "Dr. Brennan," she nodded as the other woman reached them. "He's all yours."


	4. Chapter 4: Not That

Not That

* * *

><p>"Bones, wait! Brennan! Tempe—"<p>

Her eyes flash, unshed tears gathering as she whirls around to face her partner.

"NO. Don't you _dare_ call me that! Not _you_." Booth's face falls, his mouth twists into a scowl.

"What? Why? What, am I not _good enough_ to call you 'Tempe'? Is that it?" He remembers clearly all the men who have called her that—all the boyfriends who paraded through her life. Sully. Hell, even Jared. "No, I get it. I don't rate a 'Tempe'. That's fine, sure."

"No, it's not that," and damn her. Even on the verge of tears she's beautiful, with her fists clenched tightly, and her lips drawn in a thin line. Booth isn't sure if she wants to start sobbing or to start punching him.

"Then what is it, _Tempe_?" There's a sneer in his voice that makes him hate himself just a little, and he has to repress a wince when she flinches.

"You didn't leave." It's all but a scream, her voice hoarse and breaking. "They all left me. Everyone. Dad, Russ, Sully-" the tears are starting to drip now, unbidden. "Everyone who calls me Tempe leaves and if you start, then it's...it's _logical_ that you might leave me too." Her jaw is stiff, arms crossed defiantly over her chest, but Booth can see her bottom lips trembling as she fights the tears. "You never left," she continues, softer now. It breaks his heart just a little more. "You never left-and you never called me that-I'm _Bones_; you called me Bones, and I'm _your_ Bones and-" his lips cut her off. When he pulls back, she's definitely crying, and his eyes soften as he pulls her into a crushing hug.

"Bones," he whispers, lips against her ear. "There is _nothing_ you can do that will make me leave you."


End file.
